University of Madras has offered the facility of free higher education for all Lankan Tamil refugees residing in India with a higher preference for candidates who are in Tamilnadu. The undergraduate and postgraduate level study will be permitted for the students of Lankan destiny who are keen on pursuing higher education.

The University will also hold a reservation program for the eligible candidates that might prove worthy for the undertaking of PhD level studies in the University of Madras or in any other afflicted collage.

Sharing the decisions taken at the meeting held at University premises on Friday, the university vice-chancellor G Thiruvasagam stated the stance the university has taken on the refugee students.

“Children of refugees from Sri Lanka living in India, particularly those in Tamil Nadu, will be given free education from the next academic year at the university, especially if they are willing to pursue education through the distance mode. A political solution alone is not enough to resolve the refugee issue. These people have suffered. Education is the right tool to uplift them.”

According to the vice-chancellor, the initiative taken to encourage the students for further education is an opportunity of a life time for the refugee students. “We are one of the first universities in India to take this decision.”

A four-member committee headed by the university registrar will look into the modalities of the admission process for the students refugees from Lanka.